Abstract: A filling level sensor (2) for a fuel container (1) of a motor vehicle has two lever arms (4, 5). One of the lever arms (4) supports a float (10), while the other lever arm (5) is prestressed against the bottom of the fuel container (1). A detecting device (6) for detecting the filling level in the fuel container (1) determines the difference between the positions of the lever arms (4, 5). The detection of the filling level in the fuel container (1) is hereby rendered very accurate.

Abstract: An apparatus for detecting a fluid level is disclosed, which includes a coaxial sensor having a pair of conducting tubes positioned with respect to each other in spaced coaxial arrangement, a coaxial transmission line connected to the sensor, a means for injecting a standing wave into the coaxial sensor, a summer for summing the injected wave and a reflected wave connected to the sensor, a means for adjusting the frequency of the injected wave in response to the voltage and phase of the summed signal, and a processor for processing and displaying the frequency as a representation of the level of the fluid. A method for detecting the fluid level is also disclosed.

Abstract: An oil level sensor for a vehicle includes a receiver tube oriented upright in the oil pan of the vehicle. A level tube is disposed in the receiver tube and below the level tube is a reference tube. A circuit is electrically connected to the tubes for outputting a signal representative of oil level in the oil pan. As the engine oil level decreases within the level tube, the output of the sensor drops. When the engine oil level is below the bottom of the level tube but higher than the top of the reference tube, the output reaches the lowest value. As the engine oil level continuous decreasing (below the top of the reference tube), the output increases for a first circuit configuration (i.e., level with reference tube), and will stay constant for the second configuration level.

Abstract: A holder for mounting a test strip for measuring the intensity of shot peening in internal cavities includes a receptacle receiving any of multiple inserts configured to form a segment of an internal cavity of a component to be peened. The test strip defines the remainder of the cavity. The shot stream to be measured is introduce into the cavity, after which the test strip is removed and measured in the conventional manner. Accordingly, the intensity of peening in internal cavities may be measured with relative accuracy. By providing multiple inserts, intensity of peening in cavities of varying sizes may be measured by simply changing the insert.

Abstract: The invention relates to a measuring device for thread-like test samples (3), comprising a measuring slit (2) exhibiting measuring areas (6, 7) for measuring characteristics of a test sample which moves longitudinally, said measuring areas being associated to a measuring device. A coating (8) made of an abrasion-resistant material is applied over the whole measuring slit and its measuring areas (6, 7) in order to define more freely the dimensions of said measuring slit and especially to obtain a narrower measuring slit.

Abstract: A method for measuring fluid level uses data sensed by an oil level sensor to determine the level of oil in a motor vehicle oil pan. The oil level sensor can include a receiver tube oriented upright in the oil pan of the vehicle. A level tube is disposed in the receiver tube and below the level tube is a reference tube. A circuit is electrically connected to the tubes for outputting a signal representative of oil level in the oil pan. As the engine oil level decreases within the level tube, the output of the sensor drops. The method includes providing a series of signals to the sensor and recording the output from the sensor with the sensor in a variety of configurations. This information is then processed to determine the ratio of measured oil in the oil pan to the proper operating oil level.

Abstract: A well water level sensing apparatus using a pressurized air column in contact with the water at its distal end to derive a correlated value dependent upon the length of the air column which is converted for retrieving stored water levels from memory and displaying the retrieved water levels on a visual display. The water level sensing apparatus may be manually initiated or programmatically controlled for continual monitoring.

Abstract: The present invention provides an oscillating liquid level measuring apparatus includes a liquid level measuring unit 10 having: a floating member 3 floating on a surface of liquid 1 in a tank 2; a variable resistor 4 arranged o the top of the tank 2 for measuring a perpendicular displacement of the floating member 3; a transmitting member 5 extending from the floating member 3 and through the top of the tank 2 for transmitting the perpendicular displacement of the floating member 3 to the variable resistor 4; and holders 6 arranged to sandwich the transmitting members 5 for restricting the movement of the floating member 3 only in the perpendicular direction. A connection portion between the transmitting member 5 and the variable resistor 4 has a predetermined allowance 9 in the displacement direction 8 of the floating member 3.

Abstract: Upward variations of a molten metal level in a container for melting metallic material shall be carried out by detecting variations of a liquid level inside a detector connected to a gas-pipeline, wherein a rise in the pipeline pressure causes the liquid level to move down. Communication is established by means of a gas-pipeline 13 for inert gas between that portion of a container for melting metallic material which is above a molten metal surface 15a and that portion of a detector 16 comprising a transparent tubular container 18 which is above a liquid surface 17a. Variations of the liquid level 17a inside the detector 16 due to a rise in the pressure inside the above-mentioned gas-pipeline 13 are detected as upward variations of the level of the molten metal surface.

Abstract: A method and device for monitoring and optionally controlling the absolute inventory of a dynamic fluid in a vessel having at least one agitator with a rotatable shaft extending in an essentially horizontal direction, wherein there is a resultant force acting on the agitator in an essentially vertical direction in relation to the shaft and a relationship exists between the absolute inventory and the force acting on the agitator in the essentially vertical direction. The method comprises determining a correlation between the vessel absolute inventory and resultant force, measuring the resultant force, and thereby determining a relative absolute inventory within the vessel. The determined absolute inventory value may then be used as a control variable for use in controlling the absolute inventory within the vessel.

Abstract: An energy conserving moored buoyant ocean profiler wherein an instrument carrying vertically traversing buoyant member of low buoyancy is interconnected with a second buoyant member of high buoyancy to travel in the opposite direction at lesser distance, such that the potential energy of one buoyant member is increased as the potential energy of the other is decreased, thereby conserving energy as the instrument carrying buoyant member is raised and lowered.

Abstract: The dynamic fluidized-bed level in an olefin polymerization reactor is determined by radar or ultrasound waves. Echoes are processed to take into account the turbulence caused by bubbles, which can be as large as four meters in diameter, bursting on the surface, expelling resin particles into the freeboard above the dynamic fluidized-bed level.

Abstract: A testing method is provided for determining the hardness of a micro region, using indentation curves indicating relations between observed penetration depths and indenting forces when an arbitrary shaped indenter is pushed into standard samples of plural types. The method involves (1) measuring relations between observed penetration depths and indenting forces when the arbitrary shaped indenter is pushed into standard samples of plural types, to prepare the indentation curves, (2) determining a reference function indicative of macro hardness, by standardizing the relations between the indenting forces and macro hardness at the same penetration depth as an index, for the indentation curves of the standard samples of plural types, (3) measuring a relation between the penetration depth and indenting force of an arbitrary sample, and (4) determining the hardness of a micro region from the measured value in step (3) according to the reference function as determined in step (2).

Abstract: A capacitance measurement circuit 1 has a pair of level indicating LEDs 2,3. Via one input 4, the circuit is connected to the metallic wall W of a container C of water. This connection can be direct or, as indicated by broken lines, via earth. Via a second input 5, the circuit is connected to a probe 6. This has a stem 7 with a transversely arranged disc 8 at its lower end. Spaced above the lower end, a second, larger, transverse disc 9 is secured to the stem. The stem and the discs are of conductive metal, typically copper, and electrically connected and common. The entire probe is insulated, except for its point of contact with the input 5. When the liquid is just below the level of the lower disc 8, the capacitance between it and earth, the liquid being conductive, will be determined by the area of the disc, its separation from the liquid and the dielectric constant of the intervening gap. The capacitance varies in proportion to the gap.

Abstract: A fuel level transmitter (10) consisting of two magnetic rotors (14, 16) placed on opposite sides of a non-ferrous wall (26) are arranged so that when the first rotor (14) is turned, the second rotor (16) follows due to the magnetic coupling between the two rotors (14, 16). Torque is produced, in part, as a function of the offset of the poles, magnetic strength and the distance between the rotors (14, 16).

Abstract: The invention relates to a method for monitoring the refrigerant filling level of a refrigerating system, in particular a motor vehicle air-conditioning system, with a compressor subdividing the refrigerant circuit into a high-pressure side and a low-pressure side. The evaporator temperature is determined at the evaporator at short time intervals by means of an evaporator temperature sensor. According to the invention, there is provision for a time meter, t, to be activated when the evaporator temperature exceeds a predetermined threshold temperature.

Abstract: A fluid level detection system includes an illumination source and a photodetector. The illumination source produces a beam at a fixed angle, which the photodetector is adapted to sense as it is reflected from the surface of a fluid. The photodetector varies in accord with the amount of the reflected beam that impinges on it. This amount, in turn, varies with the distance between the surface of the fluid, the illumination source and photodetector. The system can be used, for example, in automated pipetting applications in which it is important to ascertain the position of a pipette tip with respect to fluid contained within a body to provide safe and effective automatic processing of the fluid without the pipette tip contacting the body.

Abstract: An improved pressure activated control apparatus is provided for sensing fluid pressure and triggering one or more switches in response to the fluid pressure, as desired. The apparatus includes a first resilient member, such as a pliable rolling diaphragm or bellofram, having an outer surface exposed to the fluid and responsive to the fluid pressure. A force translation and switching mechanism responds to the force exerted by the pressure of the fluid on the outer surface area of the first resilient member to trigger one or more switches mounted on an adjustable switch track assembly within the apparatus housing. The pressure activated control apparatus includes a second resilient member, such as a spring with a chosen spring constant, k, that provides a biasing force against the force translation and switching mechanism. In an embodiment, a plurality of microswitches are each adjustably and removably connected on the switch track assembly.

Abstract: A fluid level sensor and a method of operating the oil level sensor to measure the fluid level and dielectric strength of the fluid substantially simultaneously. The fluid level sensor having a compensator capacitor normally fully submerged within the fluid and a linear capacitor variably submerged as a function of fluid level. Oscillators convert the capacitance of the linear and compensator capacitors into a first and second frequency respectively. A processor uses the two frequencies and calibration data stored in a memory to calculate the fluid level and dielectric strength substantially simultaneously. The dielectric strength calculation may be based upon an offset from the second frequency from a known frequency of a known dielectric strength.

Abstract: The object of the present invention is to propose an apparatus for determining a physical variable of a medium (2) in which the formation of deposits or buildups of the medium (2) on a subelement (4) of the apparatus (1) which comes into contact with the medium (2) is reduced or avoided. For this purpose, at least the subelement (4) is provided with a microstructured surface layer (7).